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Family Life Spare the Rod ... Scripture: He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him. --Proverbs 13:24 The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother. ---Proverbs 29 :15 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. ---Proverbs 1 :7 Because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
Study: I am certain that I could find many more scriptures on discipline, but I'll stop here. There is a saying, "It takes a village to raise a child", but there is a serious problem in today's society: parents are afraid to discipline their children, teachers are afraid to discipline students, and the village is afraid to raise its children. There was a time when your momma could give you a good beat-down in the grocery store or a neighbor could discipline a child for being bad when the mother wasn't around, but no more. People will call the police on you if you raise a hand to your misbehaving child and you'd better not touch another woman's child, then you'll be on the bad side of a beat down. Back in the day, if another person in the neighborhood had to discipline you, you'd better hope they didn't tell your momma, cause then you'd get it from her too!! Don't get me wrong, there is a difference between discipline and child abuse. I am talking about handling your business before it's too late. Is it just me, or are the children of today rude, disrespectful and full of rebellion? When a child is young, discipline should begin. If they touch something that they shouldn't, a tap on the hand will let them know that they're not to touch that. Whatever action is disruptive or destructive should be addressed early. How can you reason with a little child, they don't understand reasoning at an early age, they understand that "when I do this my hand gets slapped, I better not do that again". "The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother." Proverbs 29 :15 If a child is not taught restraint in the early years, it will be difficult to enforce when they are teenagers. Today's society has such a nonchalant attitude toward children and discipline. I have seen many shows in which the child is abusing the parent! If that parent had been a parent in the beginning, her child wouldn't be spanking her. So many parents want to be their child's "friend" that they don't know how to be a parent. I believe that you have to set boundaries and show children who's the adult and who's the child. For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life, Proverbs 6:23 Just as children need discipline so do we as Christians. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 1 :7 As Christians, we need the discipline of our Father just as children need the discipline of their parents. Just as we should "fear" the Lord, so should a child "fear" his parents. I don't think that means that you should shudder in fear, nor should our children, but there is a certain amount of fear in doing what is not right and good in God's sight (and for children, in their parent's sight). We are not afraid of God, but we love Him and desire his wisdom, love, mercy and grace and we should strive to do things to please him. Because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in. Proverbs 3:12 I will end with a scripture that I believe sums up this entire piece: He who heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray. Proverbs 10:17
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Donna Lenoir is a wife and mother of three boys, Etienne Malik, Elijah Khalid, and Nigel Solomon. She is an administrative assistant at Dillard University in New Orleans. Donna is a member of Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church. She writes poetry and children's books.